MARSHALL excelled against Poland on Wednesday night but knows he can't take the No.1 jersey for granted with Allan McGregor also in good form.

DAVID MARSHALL’S racked up four straight clean sheets as Scotland’s No.1 – but refuses to accept he is now Gordon Strachan’s go-to goalie.

The Cardiff ace has grabbed his chance with polished performances and has moved into pole position ahead of Allan McGregor.

When a ban ruled the Hull star out the World Cup qualifier against Macedonia in September, Marshall stepped
in and kept the hosts out before going off at half-time in the 2-1 win with the scoreline blank.

When
injury took hold of McGregor for the November double-header against USA
and Norway the former Celtic man again refused to give the opposition a
sniff.

Four starts, four wins and not once having to pick the ball out of his net.

Marshall’s
confidence is sky high but he is taking nothing for granted and won’t allow himself to think he’s now the nailed-on No.1.

Tony Nicoletti/Daily Record

David Marshall makes a save

He
said: “Obviously, I’ve played because Allan has been suspended and injured so there’s been a lot of factors in me edging in. Poland was also just a friendly but I’ll just keep doing my usual and if I can get to play it will be brilliant.

“That’s just the life of a goalie. The most important thing is to be playing at club level as there was a time when I was with the squads and not playing for my club.

“It has been good getting back to playing on a Saturday and I’ve always tried to stay in the squad which is the most important thing.

“If
you get your chance you can only try to take it. The manager told us the
team an hour before kick-off in Warsaw and we didn’t know what was going to happen at half-time either so I was just happy to play the 90 minutes.

“But a lot of things can change and we have a game in the summer before the qualifiers
as well so I’m not taking anything for granted.”

Perhaps
Marshall’s refusal to be outspoken over his No.1 claims has something to do with the friendship he has built with his direct rival.

The respect between the pair was evident in Warsaw with no one supporting Strachan’s pick more than McGregor.

Marshall
said: “Allan wished me all the best. Both of us have been in that same situation when Craig Gordon was playing. I’ve been in the squad for 10 years so it’s never going to change.

“Jim Stewart’s been brilliant as well. It’s been a long time and the goalies know each other well.”

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